In the hospitality industry, an internet connection has gone from an option to a necessity. Many customers expect to find these services when they come to your establishment. Lacking this crucial resource can cost you customers. However, your options may be limited by your service provider. There are many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) but not many will offer you services at the level you expect. There are factors you can use to weed out the potential disappointments.

Connection Type

Presently, there are three popular internet connection types:

• DSL
• Cable
• Fiber optic

In terms of monthly fees, DSL is normally the cheapest, followed by cable and lastly fiber optic. However, DSL, which uses traditional phone lines has lower speed limits and isn't very reliable. Cable offers a better level of reliability and much higher bandwidths but if you need a system with top speeds and limited downtime and can be comfortably used by multiple users, fiber optic connections are the way to go.

Connection Speeds

If the internet connection needs of your business or customers are high, you'll want to pay for the right amount of bandwidth. Otherwise, you may have a number of frustrated individuals on your hands. You should take time to understand the bandwidth needs of your business especially if you use VoIP systems and cloud-based systems.

Availability

Even if you have the resources to pay for the internet service, what you need may not be available in your area. Fiber optic connections don't extend to every part of every city in the country. Even DSL and cable may not be an option if you're in a newly constructed area. It can take up to 6 months for the installation to be done in such situations.

Redundancy

Even the best internet connections can fail you from time to time. In case your business relies heavily on internet services, you should check if there is a redundancy in case the primary mode of connection fails.  

Cost

Top quality internet connections with high availability don't come cheap. This is why not every business is scrambling to have one. When choosing between different ISPs, compare the cost to the bandwidth being provided. Sometimes, it's possible to get higher speeds at lower costs by combining two different options even if they're not high availability fiber connections. At the end of the day, whichever service you choose will have to be within the budget of your establishment.

So, you have some basic information about how to pick your internet provider. Understanding the technology that affects your business is critical, so it may be helpful to seek IT training courses that help you better manage this decision and others that will come up with your technology. For more information, reach out to businesses like SyLearn.